3M, the big consumer-products company, says it is settling a lawsuit by the state of Minnesota over chemical disposal without admitting a public health issue.

3M – once short for Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing – agreed to pay $850 million just as the lawsuit was about to go to trial. It revolves around 3M’s disposal of perfluorochemicals, used for years in products like Scotchgard.

The state says the money will be used to clean up and safeguard drinking water in the eastern suburbs of St. Paul. The state accused 3M of contaminating groundwater as it disposed of PFCs over decades.

Gitanjali Rao won first place in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Video provided by Newsy Newslook

3M vice president John Banovetz says the company is proud of its environmental stewardship.

The company faces at least two dozen similar lawsuits over PFCs around the country.

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